We have always heard people tell us that we all need our 8 hours of sleep at night, but in most cases, that is an unrealistic amount of sleep for a typical college student. According to "Do I Really Need to Sleep? Sleep Deprivation in College Students", that college students average less than six hours of sleep a night (2 hours less than scientifically recommended). The truth is, everyone is different, so it is hard to put a number on how many hours of sleep we all "need". Personally, I can function on only 4 hours of sleep a night, whereas my roommate needs double that to accomplish what she needs to the next day!
Sleeping Tips:
- Make your bed a place just for sleep. Some people like to do homework or study in their beds, DON'T. The moment your bed becomes a use for more than sleep, sex, and sickness, is when the hours you spend actually sleeping is limited.
- Create a routine. Although your classes may not start at the same time each morning, try to wake up around the same time everyday. Regular schedules help with a healthy sleep routine.
- Avoid long naps during the day (even though they feel wonderful!). If you spend too long napping during the day, you won't sleep at night, which calls for a rough morning ahead.
- Don't go to bed hungry. Eat your dinner at a reasonable time so you're not hungry when you go to sleep. No one wants to go to bed with an angry stomach.
